Back when fluxus was youngish (very early seventies) i would ask various of
my teachers about it (at san francisco art institute) and they would tell me
that it was nothing new; that the Dad-a-ists had already done it all.
Meanwhile the then-living dadavets would chime in to let us all know that
whatever we THOUGHT we were doing, what we WERE doing was neo-dada and we
should stop or apologize or footnote ourselves into academic paralysis.
Young fluxus was constantly told then that it was nothing new, nothing
important, and so on. Amazing, what tyrannical old farts the dadaists turned
into. So what does this mean for us now?
Some times i think the Fluxus-died-with-Maciunas position is in some ways
kindest to the survivers. Look at Higgins, Vostell, Brecht, Vautier,Knowles:
wouldn't they have been just as well off if there had never been a fluxus? i
must be missing something.
My point is, everything is different now. old fluxus is: the cold war,
snailmail art (this one is subject to rediscovery, like lithography),
happy food fests (rirkrit has already rediscovered this one), indeterminacy
and insane-control-freakdom in interminable, unstable balance. Old fluxus is
now a RESOURCE, like old dada. New fluxus should avail itself of that
resource, up to and including the appropriation of the name, without
worrying for a second about the high-church issues that spoil(ed) some of
the fun. New fluxus doesn't have to take on the burden of every crazy uncle
in the old-fluxus family. This is not a blood tie, or the eurodisneyland of
cold-war culture. Back in the sixties, we were forever being told by
twenties and thrities people that we were just pale, uninteresting copies of
their wonderful selves. Those of us who remember that owe people who are
young NOW something better than just crapping all over each other about who
was a big shot back in the day.
i think the point i'm missing here has to do with fun. old fluxus had a lot
to do with fun, though it was often twee, Unitarian-church-basement fun. but
that was probably just me.
So what's fun now?
Whatever fluxus is now will have to follow the answer to that question,
which is, i swear, sincere.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Devon Paulson [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2000 9:58 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: FLUXLIST: response Sol
>
> I don't know much about Fluxus. I know the few stories I have heard on
> this
> list and the basic facts. Things I have read and learned but my well of
> knowledge regaurding Fluxus isn't that deep. I find what I do know
> extremely
> interesting and am eager to learn more.
> I, also, feel it is a bit of a community but I enjoy that. It is what
> makes
> me feel comfortable to talk and have even made friends.
> I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable leading any kind of disscusion as I
> am
> not that educated in the Fluxus ways. That said, I would be very
> interested
> in participating or reading disscusions about it.
> Perhaps we could start at the begining?
>
> eagerly awaiting,
>
> disco
>
>
> >From: "Sol Nte"
> >
> >Bertrand, I agree with you. I don't know what happened exactly..guess
> it's
> >been a gradual process but the last few months have seen posts on Fluxus
> >disappear from the list. No-one seems to want to talk about Fluxus
> anymore.
> >Ken's departure doesn't have to be a turning point. We can still discuss
> >Fluxus but maybe it just doesn't feel the same anymore. I don't know.
> I've
> >been thinking a lot about the list recently and how I'd like to
> contribute
> >as much as I used to but I don't really have much to say these days on
> the
> >topics presented on the list.
> >
> >
> >
>
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